Nov. '05 Mamas, Marching into Spring! - Page 10

[3for3hb]

: thanks

[Queen of Cups]

Wow! We had such a busy Easter weekend! But it was all just lovely. I also got some great pictures of the kids this morning - they're on my blog.

Overall, things are going so much better and I'm feeling better every day! I think that just the stress and worry over setting everything up with our new accountant for taxes this year plus a client being WAY behind on paying us just made mid-February to mid-March really miserable. Plus, throw in a dose of what must be SAD and things just really spiraled. But, I'm back to being able to sleep and eat and enjoy life again - whew! (Not that everything is perfect all of a sudden, but I'm able to handle the ups and downs and concerns without freaking out!)

Happy Easter, everyone!

[3for3hb]

how precious QoC!!!
you hair seems to be getting longer too!

[Queen of Cups]

Originally Posted by willemsmamma

how precious QoC!!!
you hair seems to be getting longer too!

Thanks! I decided to grow my hair back out long. I don't regret cutting it (it was good for me to try a different look), but I'm sooooo freaking sick of people telling me I'm "cute!" And that's all I've heard since I cut my hair.

[flapjack]

Jen, I think you have a very glamorous, quite classic kind of beauty- I'd never call you cute though. You're far too strong a person for that

Monique I'm here if you want to talk, you know? Don't let the numbness back in. He is a beautiful, beautiful baby- he just looks immediately familiar to me and as if he's always been here.

You'll laugh to hear that we had snow here on Easter Sunday, though not enough to linger. We spent the weekend with my mother, just quietly chilling out. Yet more hassle over River's name, but apart from that it was good.

[*Amy*]

Originally Posted by Queen of Cups

I decided to grow my hair back out long. I don't regret cutting it (it was good for me to try a different look), but I'm sooooo freaking sick of people telling me I'm "cute!"

I'm growing my hair back out, too, but I *do* regret getting it cut that short. I don't know what I'm going to grow it out to; a short wedge, maybe. I wish I'd done that in the first place rather than having had it all cut off. But I can say that I've pretty much never been satisfied with my hair, so this is nothing new.

Anyhoo, Monique, I loved the pictures on your blog! You all look beautiful and I agree with Helen that you have to fight against the pull of PPD or getting into a funk. I hope you are getting the nurturing you need.

Mel, where did y'all go? Did I miss that?

Spughy, that is crazy about your mom and your friend's mom!

barcelona, our intent was to focus on spring too, but we ended up not doing anything. I am a slacker. Well actually, I'm just feeling like there is so much to do right now and I don't have the energy for extra stuff. So at least Brynn didn't notice, but next year I really want to do something to welcome spring. Are you starting to feel a little better these past few days, barcelona? I think the winter blahs are getting to all of us. I'm so ready for some warmth.

Oh, in other news, my maternal grandmother is not well and is not expected to live through the week - and my mom isn't going up to spend her last days with her. I am just appalled, once again, at what a selfish freak my mother is and it's bringing up all of my old anger. She told my brother that she can only make one trip up to Oregon (from California) so she has chosen to go to the funeral rather than say goodbye to her mother. And just to clarify, my Grandma isn't in a coma, or experiencing dementia, or anything that would prevent her from actually recognizing and/or interacting with my mom. I just don't fricking get it.

[Queen of Cups]

Amy, I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother.

[flapjack]

Amy, I'm so sorry.

[3for3hb]

Originally Posted by flapjack

Don't let the numbness back in.

Yikes... now I"m scared. It's already here. I feel like there is so much I've forgotten in the way of mothering a newborn. I feel helpless when he's fussy (I think the herbs dh rubbed on my back yesterday made him sicky feeling). I forget what to do. Weird.
I want to get out but I am in no shape to yet. The inside of my pelvis still feels bruised and I start bleeding again when I get up and walk and do stuff around the house. My recti muscles separated all the way up to my sternum this time and it's seriously having an effect on recovery.

Originally Posted by flapjack

he just looks immediately familiar to me and as if he's always been here.

I KNOW!!!!!!!!! Plus he looks exactly like Willem half the time and exactly like Gabriel the other half of the time.

Originally Posted by flapjack

You'll laugh to hear that we had snow here on Easter Sunday,

So did we. And Monday, and last Thursday... Egch. I thought it was SPRINGtime!


So I posted this on my other ddc but blazing along on the naming trail, dh and I finally narrowed it down to two names, maybe three. Bryce is settled as the middle name. And the top three names in no particular order (one is my absolute favorite) are:

Nolan

Caedmon

Holden

We're sleeping on it and will decide on it in the morning (if anyone wants to comment before then)


Amy... sorry about your grandmother.

[flapjack]

We'll get you through this It's funny, but I felt more comfortable being honest hereabout just how tough it was than my other DDC- familiarity, I guess? Anyhow, I'll keep thinking of you. You've had such a tough few months anyhow that adding in birth is the least of it...

[spughy]

Amy, I'm so sorry about your grandmother. And your mom. Is it possible she's scared of death, or has some unresolved issues with your grandmother that she *wants* to leave unresolved? I may be being too charitable, but I know when my dad died - and he was on morphine for the last bit - it was really hard to be around him, and we had NO issues, he was the best dad in the world. If I'd known what it would be like I might have even tried to not be there... it sounds awful, I know, but I really wish my last memories of him were not of him as sick as he was.

And on a completely different topic - is anyone else in "why" hell yet? Actually here it's "how come?" and "where?". As in, "Where's that little dog's mummy? How come that little dog doesn't have a mummy? Where's the other little barky dog? Where is Chinese New Year Dinner? Where are the seals?" Also, Rowan requires us to keep a road map of Victoria in our head at all times, and be able to recite the complete route to anywhere, wherever we go. Even if we've been there 150000000 times, like Grandma's house. Although, I have to say that people-watching with Rowan is a heck of a lot of fun. Yesterday we went to a really cool place for lunch, on the dock, and they holler out people's names to pick up their food, so Rowan was asking questions about all the people, using their names. "Where's Margaret? What is Margaret picking up? What is Margaret doing? Who is Lee? Is Lee a man? What's that little girl doing? etc. etc."

ETA: Monique, I like Holden and Nolan, but not so much Caedmon... little too medieval sounding I think - sorry if that one is your absolute fave!

[Queen of Cups]

Spughy - my kids do that with roads, too! Everywhere we go, its "what's this road's name?" and they point at every road we pass and say "What's that road's name?" And every time we turn onto our road they yell out its name over and over and over till we get to our house. Its pretty funny when I'm on the cell phone with someone and they hear the chorus start.

I'm sooooo happy right now. I made cold peanut sesame noodles for lunch and SIL and BIL are coming over for dinner so I'm making sherried tomato soup and quesedillas. YUMMY day! I'm trying to figure out what do to do with the kids this afternoon - maybe a hike before we go to the grocery store. Its spring break for Killian this week and so I'm remember now how much work it is to keep him entertained all the time! Ellie is so much easier, she's content to color, do playdoh, help me around the house... Killy needs so much stimulation, him being home requires us to take 1-2 outings a day, minimum. Whew!

Amy - I don't know the details, either, but I know if I really and truly could only afford one trip, it would be a tough call. Sadly, I think that most people would probably be really nasty to someone who didn't come to their mother's funeral. It was a tough call for us a couple years ago when David's grandmother was dying. We ended up driving out to say goodbye to her, but I was worried that everyone would think we were awful for not being at the funeral a few days later. No one ever said anything to us, but it was just a difficult situation all the way around.

[barcelona]

Amy, I'm so sorry about your grandmother and your mom, too. I can understand why it is upsetting for you...I would feel the same way, I'm sure.

Monique, I hope you continue to fight the blues/numbness and come out of it strong. And good luck as you decide on the name! I think they are all lovely. I think my favorite is Holden.

Q of C, sounds love a lovely and delicious day! Have a great hike..sounds lovely. And I'm so glad you're feeling better.

Spughy, sounds like Rowan is so verbal and saying so much, and such cute stuff!

I am feeling better these days, too. Thanks for asking, Amy. I am getting out a bit more, and feeling closer to living a more balanced, fulfilled life. It's key for me to stay creative, so as long as I make sure that is happening, I am okay. Finley and I are having a lovely day together. He has been so sweet and easy lately.


Question for you All: How can I kill this skin thing on my face? (I don't remember if I told you all about it before). I've had it for over a month now. It is a smallish (about the size of a dime, probably smaller, though), roundish reddish dry skin spot, between my mouth and nose, but off to the side, like where my smile line is. I think it is eczema, but am not sure. Anyway, I have tried EVERYTHING to get rid of it, short of going to the doctor (insurance has been a whole separate drama/issue). Does anyone have any tips or other ideas of ways to knock this out? Any herbs or anything?

(Right now, I'm trying calendula gel...it seems to be a tiny bit less irritated, but not much).

THANKS!!!

[Kavita]

Originally Posted by barcelona

Amy, I'm so sorry about your grandmother and your mom, too. I can understand why it is upsetting for you...I would feel the same way, I'm sure.

Monique, I hope you continue to fight the blues/numbness and come out of it strong. And good luck as you decide on the name! I think they are all lovely. I think my favorite is Holden.

Q of C, sounds love a lovely and delicious day! Have a great hike..sounds lovely. And I'm so glad you're feeling better.

Spughy, sounds like Rowan is so verbal and saying so much, and such cute stuff!

I am feeling better these days, too. Thanks for asking, Amy. I am getting out a bit more, and feeling closer to living a more balanced, fulfilled life. It's key for me to stay creative, so as long as I make sure that is happening, I am okay. Finley and I are having a lovely day together. He has been so sweet and easy lately.


Question for you All: How can I kill this skin thing on my face? (I don't remember if I told you all about it before). I've had it for over a month now. It is a smallish (about the size of a dime, probably smaller, though), roundish reddish dry skin spot, between my mouth and nose, but off to the side, like where my smile line is. I think it is eczema, but am not sure. Anyway, I have tried EVERYTHING to get rid of it, short of going to the doctor (insurance has been a whole separate drama/issue). Does anyone have any tips or other ideas of ways to knock this out? Any herbs or anything?

(Right now, I'm trying calendula gel...it seems to be a tiny bit less irritated, but not much).

THANKS!!!

Hmm, I will have to try to remember what I had--I went to a dermatologist because I had something similar on the side of my face--sort of red and scaly and it even got sort of raised. It was something basically normal, and unfortunately I don't even remember what we did about it but it essentially went away. Sorry that that's totally not helpful! I'll try to remember that and find a pic online and see if that makes sense to you.

[barcelona]

Kavita, Do you remember what the cause of it was, or how long it lasted?
Thanks for helping! I am just so sick of this thing, and I'm starting to get auditions again, so I need to be looking a little...better. (and more importantly, I just *feel* so gross).

Thanks again!

[*Amy*]

God, I hope it's not impetigo like what's-her-name on America's Next Top Model had!! Just kidding. Sounds annoying, though, for sure.

Thanks for all the thoughts on my mom. I've basically come to the conclusion that regardless of her true motives (or even excuses) I still really believe she's an ass, so all of my responses come from that place. As I told Kavita last night, she called and said she is headed up to Oregon today, so I guess I have to spare her my righteous indignation. Oh well.

Monique, Holden would be my choice of the three.

I'm off to make dinner. I'm SO not motivated to cook dinner these days. :

[HoneyTree]

I like Holden, too. And Monique, he's stunning!

So today we got a bright orange notice on the windshield of our not-running car that's been parked on the curb for about a month. Seems the police frown upon these kinds of eyesores. I should have known it was coming when I heard the street cleaners come by this morning--I think they were content to ignore our broke-down SUV once, but having to maneuver around that sucker twice must have done them in. We are so that family right now.

Next week is my spring break, but I must say that I'm so into what we're doing in school right now that I don't feel like I need it the way I thought I would. Doubtless I will feel differently when I get to sleep in on Monday...

Dh went to a family gathering this past weekend, got into a somewhat heated political discussion with his brother, and then moments later witnessed him slap his 4 y.o. son across the face over some tiny, tiny incident. Dh was so shaken up by this; they were raised with the kind of infrequent and somewhat restrained corporeal punishment that many of us were, but he and all his other brothers and sisters make a conscious choice to be gentler parents. He's still processing what happened, deciding how to think of it, and how to think of his brother.

[barcelona]

Oh HoneyTree, that sounds Awful!!! I am so sorry your DH is going through that, and especially for your nephew. I hope that comes to some kind of productive, peaceful conclusion. In the meantime, Enjoy your Spring Break! No doubt the extra sleep will be lovely and much deserved.

And Amy, I'm not proud to say, I remember that incident on ANTM. Thankfully, mine isn't spreading all over, just this one annoying spot, so I think I'm clear from that I do hope I can find a solution to it soon, though.

Monique, can't wait to hear what you decide for your beautiful new boy's name!

[Queen of Cups]

barcelona - I had something kind of similar in college on several areas of my face which I chalked up to an allergy to grapefruit. (I'd never had grapefruit before, had it twice in one week, and that a weird red/scaley/slightly raise rash on some areas of my face) However the nurse at the student health center said it wasn't an allergic reaction and suggested that it was irritation from my face wash, which was an anti-acne wash. She suggested that I switch to cetaphil (I think that's the name - the really basic, gentle face wash) and a "sensitive skin" lotion. I did that and stopped eating grapefruit and it went away within a week or two. Good luck! I'm such a "picker" I obsess over any imperfections in my skin. When I get regular dry patches I usually slather on some night-time (heavy) lotion right before bed every night - leave it on thick enough that its still white on the skin, and it seems to help letting it soak in overnight.

[spughy]

I remember that incident on ANTM too. :. Oh what pop culture junkies we are! Barcelona, I'm sorry, I don't have any advice for you... but the calendula sounds like a good idea - that's what I throw at any and all skin irritations, it works most of the time except on DH's really bad eczema.

Teresa - I am so sorry about your nephew. That's just awful. I hope - because I am the meddling sort - that your DH decides to talk to his brother about it, rather than just letting it stew... it's going to damage their relationship regardless, but talking to him *might* make him think twice the next time he wants to hit his child. Oh, that just makes my heart hurt thinking about it.

QofC - THANK YOU for letting me know your kids have a dire need to know what road they're on too! I thought Rowan was a little odd. I feel much better now.